B.C. is about to become home to 50 more natural gas-powered trucks.
On Tuesday Vancouver-based Westport Innovations Inc. (TSX:WPT) said Vedder Transport Ltd. has agreed to buy 50 Peterbilt liquefied natural gas (LNG) powered trucks to haul bulk food along routes in Southern B.C.
The trucks are powered by Westport’s LNG fuel system, which includes a 15-litre engine, proprietary fuel injectors and LNG fuel tanks.
As well, Terasen Gas said Tuesday it would build an LNG refuelling station in Abbotsford next year to fuel Vedder’s natural gas fleet.
“This is a significant order for LNG trucks in Western Canada,” said Clark Quintin, president of Westport’s HD division. “It further demonstrates that natural gas is rapidly becoming a mainstream fuel solution for the trucking industry in Canada.”
Jonathan Burke, Westport’s vice-president of global market development, said it is the first deployment of LNG trucks in B.C. for commercial use.
“The unique thing about this here is we’re having an opportunity to use domestically produced LNG and we’re offsetting petroleum products … and we’re reducing greenhouse gases by 25% or more,” Burke said.
The deal follows news on October 28 that Quebec’s Robert Transport placed an order for 180 LNG-powered trucks to be used on line haul routes between Montreal and Quebec City.
Despite the new business, Westport has yet to post revenue positive results this year.
The company reported a net loss of $14.3 million for the six-month period ending September 30, compared with a net loss of $16.1 million for the same period the year before.
Still, Westport’s revenue has increased.
In the six-month period ending September 30, its revenue was up 38.6% to $70.4 million compared with the same period last year.
Business in Vancouver last caught up with Westport in July when the company signed an agreement to develop biogas and natural gas-fuelled engine products for Volvo. (See “Westport inks deal with Volvo for biogas and natural gas engines” – BIV Business Today, July 13.)
At press time, Westport’s shares were up $0.35 to $19.35.